Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-08-06
CAMPS WEDDIH. !"
BY II. j. ROY.

since 1 shook my foot, but its got ter trip
it ter night, even eft it does make my jints
crack"
''What ye mean, Jonathan?"
SCI mean that thars goin' to be a shake
down at Pete Stumps." And the old man
waved his hat over his head while he
waltzed about the kitchen. Aunt Tilda
Knucklebone sat with pan Of apples on
her lap, gazing at her husband in as.onish-
ment, while the teapot boiled and Kissed
on the stove.
"Pm goin' ter be thar an shake my
foot. the fust time in thirty yeers," added
Uncle Jonathan, continuing to waltz
about the kitchen.
Jonathan Knucklebone, hev ye lost
yer senses?"
'No."
"Set down then an tell me what yer
mean"
Uncle Johnathan was soon out of breath,
and gladly enough threw himself into a
kitchen chair.
swell, Tilda-"
"Well, Jonathan, what dyer meant"
"Thars goin' ter be shake down at
Pete Stumps, all on account O. some one
comm back from Californy, an yer can't
guess who it ISL"
mo, O. course not; who is it2"
"Hamp Flatmarsh.
"Who's he?"
what! don't yer remember Hamp, the
forty-niner, who went away 80 long ago?"
"'Pears to me like do remember him q
little, said Aunt Tilda, resuming the pairing
Of her apples.
90 course ye remember Hamp. Why,
he war leetle boy when we war sparkin'."
"Yes, remember him now"
"Wall, we'll go to the shake down, fur
it's given in honor O. him."
"But ye furgit, Jonathan; we both be-
long to the church now"
"Oh, don't keer if we do. The Bible
says thar's time to dance, an that times
when Hamp Flatmarsh comes home"
Jonathan, don't believe we ought to
60, said Aunt Tilda, yet evincing in her
tone just the least inclination to yield
eyer don't? Well, I do. Ramps come
home arter bein' gone nigh onto twenty
yeers, an we'll go; course we will, ole
woman, meetin' or no meetin'; SO, fix up,
knowed Hamp ever since he war knee high.
He's sot on my lap many time"
who all's goin' to be thar?"
"Oh, everybody. Thar's the Moeres,
the Perkinses, the WilIiamses, the Sny-
ders, Langs, Browns, Smiths, Pinkertons, |
Aliens, Noddingtons, Applegates, Fender |
CASTS, Mitchells, Thrashers, HamiItons, |
Eckertons, and Betsy Camp the school !
marm."
aIs Betsy Camp goin'?"
"Yes."
"Sartin' sure"
dead sartin. Little Alph Lowe over
heard Ben Hamilton tell Nick Alread that
Sam Snyder he'd heerd her say she was
goin, SO thar can't be any doubt av it."
"Why Jonathan, declar we've put me
all in a futter."
60 course; git ready, we're goin,."
"Will our children be thar?"
: 90 course, Tom, Sally, Dave, and Ned
well, Jonathan, we'd look like two old
fools dancin' afore our grown up chill
dren."
"We needn't dance eff we don't want to.
Yer see thars goin' ter be big supper like
q barbecue. Pete's axed the whole coun-
try round, 50 they kin all git ter see Hamp
1T onct."
"Are ye sure Betsy's goin'2"
Course she is"
"Didn't she use ter know Hamp?"
"Guess she did, ole woman. She was
purity leetle gal O. sixteen when he went
away liz forty nine"
Pore Betsy. She's good gall" said
Aunt Tilda, peeling apples vigorously, as
t she was in hurry to get dinner ready.
"Yes, Betsy is fine gal. She's teachin'
'ur skule nigh on ter twelve years now, an
# thars lady in all Stun Circle neighbor-
hood it's Betsy Camp. Guess she's au-
hority on everything"
Say, Jonathan, don't it seem kinder ,
TRANCE ter you that Betsy never got mar
ied?"
s"Yes, q leetle."
An she's had SO many good chances,
90. Thar was Al Bales was a good ketch. |
N she let him 60 by; then Phil Nichols
var next, but he TUX to drink, and no gal
8 sensible as Betsy'd ever marry man ,
rot drinks. Then sence she's been on the {
Id maid list, Dekin Smart, whose wife !
led, s most ded arter her." 1t
wall, ole woman, I spose she don't
rant ter marry. I guess that's all thar is :
bout it. :
@she's good gal an could get anybody ,
he wanted"
Aunt Tlda had now completed peelinp
er apples, and proceeded to prepare the
inner.
Evening came, and all the country was :
q hustle. It seemed as II the entire !
elghborhood had suddenly concluded 70 )
. 70 Pete Stump's. The large, roomy, !
ld-fashioned country house Of Pets :
stump, with its heavy oak doors and solid
ak floors and broad fire places. va =
rowded to its utmost capacity.
To use Uncle Jonathan's expression.
was there.
Some in, come in, how dy do? This ID
lamp Flatmarsh. guess ye know him
aough; don't look as ef he'd changed !
uch, said Peter Stump who stood ct the !
ont door. At his side was tall, broad
louldered man, with heavy mustache, and y
zee bronzed by long exposure to wind and
Gather.
He was probably forty years Of age, his
lir once dark was now streaked with gray, +
Id the heavy mustaehe was also growing b
little frosty with time. Ii
Many OF the old people in the neighbor-
nod. who had known Hamp Flatmarsh as q,
quick, impulsive youth, now looked to q
e IL there were any familiar features d,
,out his face. b